Wadhurst via Bewl Water Circular walk

This walk follows the Sussex Border path to Bewl Water, then follows its banks back to Wadhurst for tea. Gentle gradients but never flat.

Length	Main walk: 17km (10.6 miles) Short walk: 12.9km (8 miles) Long walk: 19.6km (12.2 miles) Figure of eight walk: 17.6km (10.9 miles) or 20.3km (12.6 miles) All walks 1km (0.6 miles) shorter with main road ending, and 3.2km (2 miles) shorter if you get a bus from Wadhurst village.
Toughness	5 out of 10
OS Maps	Explorer 136, Landranger 188
Features	The area around Wadhurst is one of the prettiest parts of the Weald – a place of hidden valleys, ancient woods, and quaint old farms which feel far away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. This walk gives you a perfect introduction to it. Starting at Wadhurst station, it follows the Sussex Border Path to lunch at a pub in Cousley Wood, and then descends with fine panoramic views to Bewl Water Reservoir, whose shore is open and unfenced unlike many other reservoirs, and which makes a fine spot to while away some time on a sunny day. You then have a choice of whether you do a shorter or longer exploration of the shores of the reservoir (see Walk Options below) before climbing up to the hilltop village of Wadhurst, a classic Wealden settlement, where you can have tea in one of its cafes (Monday to Saturday), or in one of its two pubs. After tea you can choose between a direct route to the station down the main road (but with a pavement all the way), or a quiet walk along the back lanes. It is 3.2km (2 miles) from Wadhurst to the station via the back lanes and it is probably best to allow at least an hour for this. For the shorter 2.2km (1.4 miles) by the main road, allow 40 minutes.
Walk Options	A direct path from the reservoir up to Wadhurst village - a pleasant and gentle climb - reduces the distance from lunch to just 4.5km (2.8 miles) from lunch to tea and makes a short walk of 12.9km (8 miles). For an even fuller exploration of Bewl Water, the long walk takes you out around a beautiful promontary sticking out into the lake. It then follows the main walk's hilly route into Wadhurst. This walk is 19.6km (12.2 miles) long and it is 11.1km (6.9 miles) from lunch to tea. You can also combine part of this walk with the short option (option a) of the Wadhurst Circular walk (Book 2 walk 18) on this website to create a Figure of eight walk (ie having both lunch and tea in Wadhurst) offering a comprehensive introduction to the different types of scenery around the village. This walk is 7km (4.3 miles) in the morning and 7.4km (4.6 miles) from lunch to tea, which with a further 3.2km (2 miles) to the station gives a total walk length of 17.6km (10.9 miles). Or if you use the long walk option, it is 10.1km (6.3 miles) from lunch to tea, giving a total walk length of 20.3km (12.6 miles).
Transport	The walk starts and ends at Wadhurst station on the Hastings Line, served by trains from Charing Cross via London Bridge. Take the train nearest to 10.10am from London to get to lunch in time. On Mondays to Saturdays you can shorten any of the walks by 3.2km (2 miles) by taking the 254 bus from Wadhurst village (the stop just outside the Greyhound pub, on the same side of the road) to Wadhurst station. Buses go roughly on the hour until 6pm. If you are heading for London it may make sense to stay on the bus to Tunbridge Wells station (about 20 minutes after Wadhurst) which has a much more frequent train service.
Lunch	The Old Vine, Cousley Wood (01892 784467 or 783666), 5.3km (3.3 miles) into the main, short and long walks is the only lunch option. A pleasant and characterful pub, it serves "pub grub done properly" all day daily.
Tea	Tea options are all in Wadhurst, which is 13.8 (8.6 miles) into the main walk, 9.8km (6.1 miles) into the short walk and 16.4km (10.2 miles) into the long walk. The best place currently seems to be The Artful Grocers, a food store with a cafe attached, which is open till 5pm Monday to Saturday. In November 2021 there was also a new cafe/wine bar called Le Petit Paris open to 5pm Monday to Saturday, but "experimenting with evening opening". Otherwise the Piccolo cafe closes disappointingly early at 4pm Monday to Saturday (turning into an evening pizzeria from 5.30pm Thursday to Saturday), while the cafe in the Wealden Wholefoods store, a former favourite, now only opens until 1.30pm. Wadhurst also has an excellent supermarket, Jempsons, open until 8pm Monday to Saturday and serving hot drinks, pastries and hot snacks: the One Shop convenience store nearby is open until 10pm daily. Of the two pubs in the village, the White Hart is the more trendy one, with a gastro menu, while the Greyhound is a more traditional pub. Both are open all afternoon and serve tea in pots, and the Greyhound has a large (but well-hidden) garden that can be very pleasant in summer.

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By Train	Out (not a train station) Back (not a train station)
By Car	Start TN5 6RZ Map Directions
Amazon	OS Explorer 136
Help	🚧 SE Start walking Large print Using GPS data National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Travelline (bus times): 0871 200 22 33 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234
Version	Nov-21 Peter
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